The Light
by Icarus1832
Summary: "You must love in such way that the person you love feels free" -Thich Nhat Hanh I set him free for he is the light of the people. For no one lights a lamp just to keep it hidden, for the purpose of light is to create more light. I set him free for I cannot possess him. He is free.
1. Him

"No man has any natural authority over his fellow men"

-Jean Jacques Rosseau

The heart of Paris was filled with people in all class. Most of them is listening to young man's speech.

"The king is seating on his throne of gold as he let his people suffer in hunger! How long should we wait until we say 'Enough! '? My fellow citizens! I ask you to rise up and know it is your right to live! It is our right to be free! "

"DEATH TO THE KING! " a man from the crowd shouted. And it triggered the crowd to rally whilst shouting "Vive la France "

Every once or twice a week this group organize this type of rally.

"Être Librè" one of them said. Indeed, is there anything greater than freedom?

Freedom is humans basic right. If you stop anything from being free everything around will be stagnant. After all Freedom is the oxygen of the soul, what will happen to the soul when it lacks of freedom. It becomes sick or worse die.

They prefer death. Fighting for what they believe in than live a life while those around them are suffering. Freedom is not free, it is something you need to fight for.

The bureaucrats can mock or laugh at them if they want but it will not stop them from fighting. They believe that people will rise up and join them. It is freedom or death.

If David can slay a giant... So are they!

Julien Enjolras, the young man who leads the said group. He calls him a Marble Man but his heart is tender for his fellow citizen, yet when angered he tends to become terrible. Yes, he came from a rich family but did not stop him from pursuing his passion. Fighting for freedom. His passion shines brighter than the sun that he was even compared to the Sun God, Apollo.

He is indeed like a sun. He brought light. He is the light. He gave the people hope.

I was nothing but a writer who followed and will follow him until the end.


	2. Her

"Sometimes you have to travel a long way to find what is near. "

'I am a writer.I am a traveller. I go to many places. I use my pen to reveal the beauty of the world. I have been in many different places but there's no other place like Paris. Oh... My Paris... How come you have fallen to despair? You are my home. You have raised me. You gave me dreams and hope. Paris... The home of the romantics... How come your children has forgotten you?

My father and mother were both your children. We are born and raised here.

I wish to write about Paris. About her beauty and wisdom. But how can I write about it when you are oppressed?

Paris, you should be free. For nothing is greater and more beautiful than freedom. Freedom is the most precious thing you can bestow upon anyone, anything. '

She closed her journal and placed it back in her bag as she stood up and walked out the door of the café. She started walking towards the square where people are gathering.

"Where are the leaders of the land? Where is the King who runs this show? " she heard a fierce voice shouted, rallying the crowds. On top of a cart, she saw a man. An angel-like man with a passion the burns as fierce as the sun.

'Mon Soleil' she thought as she took her journal out and started writing again.

'And there he stood like an angel sent from up above. He brought a message from God! Like Moses! '

In midst of her writing the crowd chanted continuously:

"Vive la France! Vive la France! "

She heard sirens from police cars and the crowds disbanded. She started to look for the man on top of the cart and she found him in the Cáfe called Musain an hour later. She approached him and asked him about his speech.

" I have never met a woman that has any interest about this kind of affair" he told her with a disbelief in his eyes.

"Perhaps, because you have not met me yet" she joked. He chuckled. And took a sip of his drink. And he explained to her the current situation of France.

"I am more that willing to support you and your group for this cause." she extended her hand to give him my business card.

"Just let me know if I can be of any assistance. My line is always open. "

He inspected her card.

"Ménard? Are you somehow related to the lawyer Hugo Ménard? " he asked me. My father is a Republican. Maybe that's how he knew him.

"He is my father. "


	3. Hugo and Victoria

It's been a week since I met "The Fearless Leader", Enjolras, and I have not heard a word from him since then. Although, I get a glimpse of him when I passed by the Café called Musain while I was driving around Saint-Michel.

After my arrival in Paris last month, my dear parents decided to move in with me and my two brothers claiming that they missed us dearly.

"Damn that Bureaucrat! They think that they are always above anyone else! What do they know aside of being leeches?!" My father cursed as he placed his and my mother luggage down. I looked at my mother very confused.

And it appears that my father had an argument with one of his childhood "friend" who currently works under the Government. It turns out that the man is a royalist.

"No wonder that an uprising is stirring! Ha! Let's see what will happen to them once the monarchy is abolished!"

And as for that statement it appears that he saw one of his students handling out a flyers concerning the uprising. Who is this student he talked to?

"Well... this country deserve so much more, Mother. I can't help but agree with the idea of an uprising" I told my mother who smiled at me and assured me that she understands.

"You really are like your father."

My father, Hugo Menard, is a republican lawyer, a former professor in the Pantheon. He is quite fond of the idea of Liberty and Equality. Which me and my brothers, Antoine and Gustave share with him. Although, Gustave is a gentle soul like my mother.

The following day, I joined my parents walking around a streets of Paris. And fate seems to be on my side;

"Monsieur, Well met..." I greeted the blonde leader. Which he returned.

"I know you..." It was my father. His eyes glowed when he saw Enjolras

"...such a brave young man... You have my support and respect Monsieur..." my father said. At this very moment I am torn from being proud that my father supports the uprising or if I should just disappear from shame because my father is acting like a fool.

"Thank you, Monsieur... It means so much to us!"

"If you and your friends are available tonight, I would like to invite you all for a dinner!" my father said excitedly

"No need for that-"

"Please, I insist. I'll send Gustave to meet you at the Musain"


	4. The Author

**PRESENT YEAR (2018)**

Five years after the revolution, In a bookshop near in Rue Mondetour the crowd is gathering.

"For his love for the citizen and for Patria is greater than any kind of love" the man reads the passage in a book the sadness can be heard from his voice. A man who lost so much but was never angry from the lost. How can he be mad?

The tragedy and triumph five years ago. His heart still swells from happiness and lost.

 **Year 2007:**

The citizens of Paris gathered in the bistro called Corinth, the said bistro is located between Rue Rambuteau and Rue Mondetour.

The declining health of General Lamarque caused the people to stir. The people fear the possibility of losing the General, the voice of the people, of the poor and oppressed, what will they do without their champion? what will happen to them?

Enjolras and Combeferre rallied the crowd, fanning the spark into a flame. While I sat with my brother Gustave and the young poet Jean Prouvaire, we are joined by the only skeptic in the group, Grantaire, minutes later as he nurse his bottle of absinthe on his left and sketching a picture on the right.

"Are you going to... you know...publish that notes you are writing about our cause?" the bald member, Boussuet asked me when he saw what I am writing. And I told him that I will, with that said Jean Prouvaire turned to me and said;

"That will be awesome! Let's be partners!"

That is more that welcome since he's been here before me, that means he knows more than I do. Even Grantaire volunteered to draw some pictures to include in the book, while Feuilly said that he'll make a design for the book cover.


	5. The Dream

_I stood in the middle of a street, everything is in chaos._

 _I saw some soldiers marching down the street, I followed them but it seems like they did not notice me._

 _The street looks so familiar, like I have been there before._

 _There is a barricade!_

 _"Who's there?" the army officer shouted._

 _"French Revolution!" a familiar voice answered._

 _'Enjolras?'_

 _I made my way towards the barricade, there I saw him, I know it's him. Though he looks different, he is wearing a 1800s clothing._

 _'What is happening?'_

 _The soldier advanced. It's terrifying._

 _I hesitantly drew my eyes off the leader and looked at the corner of the barricade to see a familiar figure hiding. A woman hiding in the shadows, holding a pen and a notebook. I tried to get closer to see her face but I was stopped by gun fires and screaming._

 _I looked back at her but she was nowhere to be seen._

 _I looked around and bodies lies on the ground bleeding and dying. Tears formed in my eyes due to sadness and fear._

 _Familiar faces. Too familiar. Why am I seeing this? Is this some kind of a warning? Oh dear lord..._

 _As I stood there, someone grabbed my shoulder, I turned around to look at them._

 _"Antoine..."_

 _There's a fear in his eyes and blood on his forehead._

 _"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I TOLD YOU TO STAY AWAY FROM HERE!"_

 _I just looked at him._

 _"Blood...on you forehead" I mumbled._

 _"Go home... Please..."_


	6. Lamarque

Later in the afternoon of May 25th, Courfeyrac went to General Lamarque's home to see the current condition of the General and it turns out that his health is continuously failing.

General Maximilien Lamarque is known as the People's man. The Champion of the poor and down trod. He is the friend of the citizen of Paris. A month ago the General contracted a sickness and from then his health continuous to regress. The people of Paris keeps on asking questions since then; "What will become of us if he dies? Who will care for us? Fight for our rights?"

Fear and distress is felt on the streets, it is painted on their faces in their eyes. Poor children of Paris.

At the same day at the Café Musain, the usual meeting was held. And when I say usual this includes the actual planning for the uprising, drinking and the usual argument between the leader and our resident Cynic, which usually end with Enjolras saying or rather yelling;

"Shut up or get out?!"

and Grantaire sitting and whispering; "What a fine marble" while looking at our dear leader. Little do they know that this cynic actually have a belief. He believes in Enjolras. But the latter refused to acknowledge this.

in the midst these all, a group of men appeared on the doorway of the backroom lead by Charles Jeanne, a 31 years old working man, the leader of one of the secret societies under **_La Société des droits de l'homme._**

"A woman... in a political society...interesting..." he said when he noticed me. "...what does a woman knows about politics?"

This Bastard!

"I know lots of things about it, Monsieur..." I told him "I suggest that you refrain from judging someone's political knowledge base on their gender... or if you wish to continue to do so... you might want to remove the word "Equality" from your banner"

The room went silent that you might even hear it if a pin drops.

"Very well, Mademoiselle..."

"Menard. Anne Menard."

"Mademoiselle Menard... Any relations to the mighty lawyer, Hugo Menard?"

"He is my father."

"Ah... I see, a chip from the old block. eh?"

This man maybe rude but he is surely admirable.

"If you must know, Mademoiselle. I really do admire your father. You know, how he served the citizens in the court, truly an inspiration! If only my parents could afford sending me a university. I would love to be a pro bono lawyer like him." he stated.

"I think you'll make a great lawyer, monsieur. Especially if you'll capability of anyone regardless of their gender" I told him.

" Pardon me from what I said earlier. I did not mean to offend you and I will make sure to heed your advice, my wise mademoiselle" he said as he takes my hand and kissed it as a sign of respect.

"Apology accepted, monsieur."

Charles Jeanne, might be wise and brave but I must admit he is less charming than our own leader.


End file.
